Scythe.



S. M. KITCHEN.

SCYTHE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.25. 1915.

Patented June 13, 1916.

JNVEJVTOR."

WITNESS we?? V M M m 5 5 A T 7 "ORNE 1:

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WAsmNo'rq-N. 177 a rai s sAMUEL M. KITCHEN, OF SKANEATELES, NEW YORK.

SCYTHE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. K ToHnN, a citizen'of the Kingdom of Great Britain, residing at Skaneateles, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scythes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in scythes, and the invention relates particularly to the construction of the scythe blade, in combination with a tang and supporting plate to which the blade is attached.

The object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction of the blade to the extent of rendering the same strong and durable, and at the same time produce a lighter blade than heretofore, the particular aim of the invention being to cheapen the cost, by materially lessening the amount of labor and material.

A further object is to provide a form of blade whereby a better or higher grade of steel may be employed than when the blade and tang are made in one part. And a further object is to provide a scythe blade which is particularly adapted for cutting or mowing lawns,'wherein the grass is invariably cut shorter than is the case in ordinary field or farm work.

The invention further relates to an improvement of the devices shown and de scribed in United States Patent No. 992,47 6, to Bartlett, bearing date May 16, 1911.

The various features and parts of the invention will be understood from the detailed description which follows, and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan or top side view of the blade, to which is connected one form of my improved tang and supporting plate. Fig. 2 is a broken bottom side view of the same; showing the manner of inter'locking the blade and the supporting plate. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-section, taken on line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an under-side view of the tang and supporting plate; showing the curved socket or recess which receives the heel of the blade. Fig. 6 is an end view of the same.- Fig. 7 is a crosssection taken on line 77 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a view of a modified form of the tang. Fig. 9 is a broken plan View of the blalde; showing the construction of the heelone.

'In the drawing, 2 represents my improved blade,. which is preferably made out of sheet steel, and which is capable of taking a high temper for producing a keen cutting edge 3. The oppositeor rear edge of the blade 2 is provided with an upturned flange 4, which is preferably arranged substantially at right angles to the plane of the blade. Both the blades and the flange 4,

are preferably plain and smooth, so as not in any way to obstruct or interfere with the free and effective working of the said parts. By this construction and arrangement of the blade, its underside is preferably smooth and flat, and as the bevel of the cutting edge 3 is disposed on the top side of the blade, the user of the scythe is able to cut the grass or weedscloser to the ground, than is pos sible under the construction shown in the patent referred to, as well as in many of the older styles of scythe blades. By eliminating the V-shaped groove or channel, and the corresponding bead, adjacent the rear flange, as shown in the Bartlett patent referred to, I am able to produce a blade which is considerably lighter and yet sufficiently strong to do its work and the expense of constructing my improved blade is comparatively small. The heel-end of my blade 2, is preferably rounded ofl at 5, and this part extends beyond the heel-end of the flange 4. The blade 2 is strongly supported by a plate 6, which over-lies the top side or face of the blade, and the said plate is cut away at its rear side to form a curved socket or recess 7 having a substantially L-shaped shoulder 7 to receive and support the correspondingly shaped heel-portion 5 of the blade. The plate 6 is also provided at its rear-edge with an upturned flange 8, which extends substantially the length of the socket 7, and the said flange alines with and abuts the heel-end of the flange 4 of the blade. By this peculiar construction of the plate 6, the blade and plate are inter-locked, and when these parts are suitably secured together by a plurality of rivets 9, the whole construction possesses extreme strength, and the blade and plate are not liable to work loose, or the inter-locked joint to yield or give away. By providing the flange 8, the

plate 6 may be made ofa lighter gage of metal and still afford adequate strength for supporting the relatively long and heavy blade. V 1

The free end of. the plate6 isformed with a tang 10 which is arranged to connectin the usual manner with a suitable snath.

The tang shown in Figs. 1', '2, 5 and 6, is

what is known as the European tang, while the tang shown in the modified view, Fig. 8, is the common American. tang. Both forms of the'tangs are nowin common use o in this country, andboth are equally applicable tomy blade and plate, although they require slightly differently V constructed blade which is strong and durable, light in weight, a keen cutter, and the cost of co'nstruction is materially reduced.

What I claim is V 1; Ina scythe, the combination with the blade having a. right angle back flange shorter than the'blade, and having the backedge of its heel-end rounded off, of a supporting'plate, oneend of said plate having a tang for connection with a snath, the other end of said plate having a recessengaging one side of the blade, one margin of, said recess curved to conform to the rounded heel-end portionof the blade and ture. V

one edge of said plate having a right-angle flange alining with and abutting the flange of the blade.

2. A scythe blade having a longitudinal up-turned back flange, said flange being shorter than the back edge of the blade, and the heel-end of the blade cut away beyond the end of said flange and also rounded-off, in combination with a supporting plate substantially triangular in vplan adapted to over-lie the heel-end of the blade and having at its back edge a flange alining with and Vabuttingthe flange of the blade, the under side of said plate provided with a socket having a curved shouldereto receive and support the rounded portion of the blade, said platehaving a tang for connection with a snath, and means for permanentlysecuring the plate to the blade.

3. In a scythe, the combination with the bladehaving a right-angle back flange, said flange shorter than the blade at the heel-end thereof, the back corner of the heel-end of the blade rounded-off, and its back-edge cut away beyond the end of'the said flange, a supporting plate over-lying the top-face of the blade and having a recess in its underside to receive the rounded portion of the blade, said plate having at its rear-edge a flange which alines with and abuts the flange of the plate, the free end of said plate having a tang, and a series of rivets piercing, the heel-end of the blade and also said plate for rigidly securing said parts together.

In testimony whereof afliX my signa- SAMUEL M. KITQHEN.

copies of this patent may 'be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' g V Washington, D. 0 

